North Bay’s next storm expected to bring more widespread rain, winds, downed trees

The North Bay’s most recent storms are predicted to clear Monday morning, providing a short break before the next storm rolls in Monday night, bringing more widespread rain, up to 25 mph wind gusts and potential weather hazards, according to the National Weather Service.

Showers brought about 0.4 to 1 inch of rain across Sonoma County Sunday morning.

Scattered rains, which were predicted to slow by around 7 p.m. Sunday, could bring another 0.1 of an inch to the valleys and up to 0.5 of an inch in the higher elevations, said Dial Hoang, a meteorologist with the weather service’s Monterey office.

Some random light showers were forecast to pop up from Sunday night to about 5 a.m. Monday.

The next storm, which is the fringe of an atmospheric river headed for Southern California, will begin Monday night and last until early Wednesday, Hoang said.

Widespread lighter rains will drop about 0.25 to 0.5 of an inch in the Sonoma County valleys, such as Santa Rosa, and up to 1 inch in the higher elevations, such as the coastal mountains.

During the storm, wind gusts will reach up to 15 mph in the valleys and about 20 to 25 mph in higher altitudes.

While this event is expected to be relatively light in comparison to recent storms, because the soils across the region are already saturated, the chances for weather-related hazards are heightened, Hoang said.

“We do have an elevated danger for small landslides, a chance for trees and power lines to come down and for minor urban and small streams flooding,” he said.

This next storm may not be the end for the recent wet pattern in the North Bay.

Hoang said forecasters are predicting the weather will remain inconsistent into the last week of March, potentially bringing another lighter storm next weekend.

“We are certain that the pattern is going to be unsettled,” he said. “We aren’t sure at this point what the general pattern for this precipitation is going to be and that is going to be refined as we go through the week.”

You can reach Staff Writer Madison Smalstig at madison.smalstig@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @madi.smals.